[78-L] Are AV 12000s the rarest discs on the planet ? [exasperated rhetorical question]

[Doug Caldwell]

Harold - Yes – I’ve noticed those labels you mentioned are scarce as well.
It took a few years, but one (of two) Yerkes Jazarimbas that I needed to
hear on Starr-Gennett from 1917 did finally come ‘round. (Wiedoeft was not
on it, though he did make 2 Columbia Jazzarimba sides during the same
period—concurrent to the Frisco Jazz Band). The other Starr-Gennett remains
just a myth to me. 
	
	I’ve also noticed a few barren spots amongst lateral Brunswicks c.
1920-23. For years ebay helped me tick off most of my Brunswick “want” list
for that period, but there remain about 20 that just NEVER come up. I wonder
if, anticipating public demand for given discs, companies released more of
some, less of others. Or, was manufacture dictated by the orders coming in
from dealers?
	
	I understand collectors play a roll in what we find out there today.
And there aren’t many that would have made the effort to preserve the
Aeolian Dance Orchestra (or even Yerkes Novelty Five) discs, on which I’m
finding early Wiedoeft contributions. But some of these are SO scarce that
I’m assuming it reflects (as you say)  limited distribution (and so, limited
manufacture?) Plus -  some of the series we are talking about were pre-boom
(or just on the cusp) so it probably reflects, also, the tepid numbers and
distribution efforts that were the norm BEFORE everything ramped up after
the war.  

	But Really! In some cases these companies seem to have spent more
money advertising and announcing these discs, than they did on actually
producing them ---    :) 

dc

-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of Harold Aherne
Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2014 9:39 PM
To: 78-L Mail List
Subject: Re: [78-L] Are AV 12000s the rarest discs on the planet ?
[exasperated rhetorical question]


Aeolian probably didn't have very wide distribution at the time and their
product may have been sold only in limited locations (or, as you suggest,
with Aeolian phonographs). Late 1910s vertical-cut Brunswick and Gennett
discs are none too common either, although OkeH seems to turn up a little
more often. In my experience, I've never been able to find electric Emersons
(1926-27) very much; the same sides are more common on Bell.

There's also the issue of collector interest in the material to be found on
the AV 12000s. Black Pattis and early 30s Paramounts command four-figure
prices (sometimes beyond), but few people pay much attention to Shannon
Quartet records, say, even if they actually may be as rare. "Splatter-wax"
AVs are definitely feathers in some collectors' caps, though!

The ODJB's Vocalions have sometimes turned up on Ebay; about 15 such
auctions can be found on Popsike, at prices from $78 to the $600s. Three
Sophie Tucker AVs are on there as well.

-HA

--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 6/23/14, Doug Caldwell <rw78stuff at comcast.net.invalid> wrote:

 Subject: [78-L] Are AV 12000s the rarest discs on the planet ? [exasperated
rhetorical question]
 To: "'78-L Mail List'" <78-l at klickitat.78online.com>
 Date: Monday, June 23, 2014, 2:12 PM
 
 
 For the past 5 or 6 years I've been on what has proven to be  an almost
futile search for AV 12000s. As part of a project on Rudy  Wiedoeft I
compiled my own rough "discography" of the series (since I  don't think
there  is one? or wasn't, at the time)  and determined there  were about 45
discs
 (90 sides) I needed to hear, in a range between AV 12076 to  AV 12239. But
it's been like looking for dodo birds. I am baffled at how  non-existent
they  are. And not just the sides I'm looking for. It is rare to  see ANY
12000s up  for sale--though there were some 170 + discs in the series  (not
counting the
 1200s.)
 
 Over the years I have been able to locate and purchase only
 19 of the discs
 on my list. The Library of Congress has a measly 6 of them  (some
duplicates  of what I have) and I've been able to hear 3 other sides on  web
sites. In  all, therefore, I have heard 45 out of the 90 sides I'm  looking
for. 
 
 I'm just wondering if anyone has ANY inkling of what the  story is - WHY is
this series so impossible to find? (I've read that 12000s  were mainly sent
out, as a package, with new Aeolian Vocalion phonographs.
 Then, of course ,
 the series ended when the Lateral 14000 series began.) Were  they sold more
in Canada than the US? And, WHERE might I search for better  results? Does
anyone collect these? Should I post a "Want" list?
 
 (sorry for the exaggerated 'subject' line -- thought it  might garner some
 attention.)
 
 Doug Caldwell
 
 
 
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